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Thursday, April 9, 2015

Taking My Thoughts Captive

Sometimes I have trouble controlling my thoughts.

Honestly, there are times my thoughts control me.

Someone does something that irritates me and my mind will replay the event over and over, each time it grows just a little bit. Each time I add another negative thought about that person, something else they have done in the past that irritated me. Or maybe I think I know what they were thinking when they did that "thing" that irritated me to start with.

Wrong.

It is all so wrong. I am wrong.

First of all, other people and things should not irritate me.

According to 1 Corinthians 13:5, love is not irritable. I am called to love, therefore, I am not to be irritable.

Second, I am not to bring up things of the past. Love does not keep a record of wrongs.

God has been speaking to me about this sin in my life and given me verses to help me. Obviously 1 Corinthians 13 is one of them, but here is another:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8

I've been studying this verse hard lately and trying my best to practice it. Instead of allowing my thoughts to go to the negative, I will think of something positive about the situation or the person. I will think of something I know to be true instead of just what I think is true.

Memorizing and recalling this verse has helped me stop and think about situations instead of just reacting to them. It has helped me be more positive instead of critical and negative.

It has helped me take my thoughts captive.

The other verse Jesus has laid upon my heart is 1 Peter 4:8, "love covers a multitude of sins." This verse is huge.

I think I'll save my thoughts on this for another day, but just ponder that verse for a moment.